Carlisle wants his players to help each other more

DALLAS -- Rick Carlisle has all but put up a Help Wanted sign on his office door.

No, the Dallas Mavericks isn't searching for some new players. He actually just wants the players he has to help each other dig out of this three-game losing streak. 

Carlisle wants the losing streak to end with Wednesday's home game against Washington before it mushrooms into something more detrimental.

"When you go through tough stretches you've got to get through them as a team, as a group,'' Carlisle said after Tuesday's practice. "It’s the coach's responsibility to point things out and try to lead guys in the right direction.

"We’re a team that has to help each other. Right now we've got to get ourselves together and help each other.''

In other words, the Mavs (4-4) need to play more help defense, set harder screens, block out aggressively on the boards, run the fast break when teammates are running it, and swing the ball around the perimeter until they can locate an open teammate. Carlisle also wants his team to start playing with a little more attitude.

It's a concerted effort Carlisle hopes will come to fruition by the time the Mavs lace them up against the Wizards.

"The collective attitude, and certainly the energy and intensity that we bring to the game, has got to be based on something,'' Carlisle said. "Its got to be a desire to win, its got to be a desire to be
viewed as a winning team, and a desire to be successful.''

-- Dwain Price

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